They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.

    Like the parables of Jesus, these tales repeatedly unfold new levels of meaning if we are willing to sit with them.

    When her father is taken ill, she returns to Hollies Christmas Emporium, an all year round Christmas shop to run it in his absence.Matt Pringle, store artist and accountant, doesn't make a good impression on his new boss when he accuses her of stealing his parking space. Wanting to make up for it, he tries to impress her, but ends up falling for her instead.When the store is threatened with closure, Christmas, who insists on being called Chrissie sacrifices everything to try to save it. A committed Christian, Matt knows that Chrissie needs saving just as much. Will their growing attraction help Matt save Christmas before it’s too late?

    This book will appeal to people of all ages—nine to ninety-nine—who want to share a classic, heart-warming literary adventure at Christmastime. Next Christmas in Girouette is the story of a brother and sister—Autry and Oxana Quinn—who find themselves stranded in a Girouette, a virtual ghost town, from Thanksgiving through Christmas when their father is taken seriously ill. Their grandfather, a Marine Captain long retired, plus an eccentric old café proprietress, a Blackfeet Indian horse trader who once served as the town’s mayor, a couple who published the local newspaper and an ancient deaf-mute trapper are the only remaining inhabitants of Girouette. These self-styled, “diehards” all seem to have one thing in common. Thanks to a mysterious event 60 years earlier, they still believe in Santa Claus. Girouette features something for everyone: carefree cowboys who race their horses over snow covered country road, a team of wolves trained to pull a dogsled, a stroll that nearly turns tragic on a buffalo jump, a serialized newspaper story titled “The Adventures of Rocky Mountain Santa,” a desperate attempt to escape from an abandoned copper mine, a night-time journey through the mountains on a frozen river and the miracle that delivers wayfaring strangers to Girouette during a storm on Christmas Eve. The book revels in the solitary beauty of winter in Big Sky Country, the enduring wisdom of the elderly citizens of Girouette, the excitement of frontier history coming to life, the inspiration of a family healing itself and the magic of an old-fashioned western Christmas. Read Next Christmas in Girouette with your family this year, and you’ll want to revisit it for years to come at holiday time.

    Literature and film adaptations studies students will find plenty of material to support their courses and essay writing on how the film versions provide different readings of the original text. Focussing on several film versions and adaptations, the book discusses: the literary text in its historical context, key themes and dominant readings of the text, how the text is adapted for screen and how adaptations have changed our reading of the original text. There are many references to the literary text and screenplays and the book also features quotations from directors, critics and others linked with the chosen film and text.

    Its affectionate, wacky, and wryly realistic portrayal of an American family’s typical Christmas joys and travails in small-town Depression-era Indiana has entered our imagination and our hearts with a force equal to It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street.This edition of A Christmas Story gathers together in one hilarious volume the gems of autobiographical humor that Jean Shepherd drew upon to create this enduring film. Here is young Ralphie Parker’s shocking discovery that his decoder ring is really a device to promote Ovaltine; his mother and father’s pitched battle over the fate of a lascivious leg lamp; the unleashed and unnerving savagery of Ralphie’s duel in the show with the odious bullies Scut Farkas and Grover Dill; and, most crucially, Ralphie’s unstoppable campaign to get Santa—or anyone else—to give him a Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot range model air rifle. Who cares that the whole adult world is telling him, “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid”?The pieces that comprise A Christmas Story, previously published in the larger collections In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash and Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories, coalesce in a magical fashion to become an irresistible piece of Americana, quite the equal of the film in its ability to warm the heart and tickle the funny bone.From the Hardcover edition.

    On Christmas Eve, she hides away in the family cabin, the same place her father abandoned her twenty years ago. Dalton Scot is unable to face the family holiday after his divorce and discovering he can never have children of his own, so he chooses Christmas Eve to fix his buddy’s cabin. Both search for a secluded spot to mourn their Christmas pasts, but instead are snowed in at the cabin for the holiday where they discover the power of the Christmas spark.

    From the beloved author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe comes her latest New York Times bestseller--a new Yuletide classic about small-town America and larger-than-life wonders.

    Featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and the whole PEANUTS gang, The Peanuts Guide to Christmas celebrates the holiday season the PEANUTS way! This lovable cast of characters is always up to something leading up to Christmas. And now, with this gifty collection of beloved illustrations from the classic comics, fans of all ages can get in the spirit by cherishing all of their favorite PEANUTS Christmas memories. This PEANUTS holiday keepsake is for the millions of faithful Charles Schulz fans and those who fondly remember our best-loved beagle and his friends.

    Riotously illustrated by Jerry "The King" Lawler, this new Christmas story will delight children, wrestling fans and readers of all ages. Make room on the shelf next to The Night Before Christmas and a Christmas Carol, because this Yuletide tale has attitude! Mick Foley - number one New York Times best-selling author, Hardcore Legend, and Commissioner of the World Wrestling Federation - crafts a delightful tale of mischief, mayhern and the true meaning of Christmas. When the elves revolt against Santa and refuse to make any toys and the reindeer gang up on Rudolph as though they've joined DX, Santa Claus gives up hope that anyone these days has the true Christmas spirit. When the situation looks its bleakest, Mrs. Claus calls in the cavalry - Kane, Jericho, Val Venis, Jerry Lawler, Kurt Angle, Edge and the rest of the Federation Superstars! How the wrestlers misbehave - making things even worse - and how one unexpected and unassuming person saves Christmas for the whole world is an unforgettable and uplifting story that will add good cheer to your holiday season year after year. Perfect for reading out loud near a cracking fire or while tucked in at bed time, Mick Foley's Christmas Chaos is sure to become a family tradition in your home.

     Driving around unfamiliar country lanes, while enduring the scorn of her teenage daughter, wasn’t how Pippa Hardy thought she’d start the Christmas holidays, but her sat nav seems to be more confused than she is. Joe Roberts has had a difficult year following the loss of his mother. Added to this, he’s trying to run his own business while dealing with pressure from his sister about when he’ll finish renovating their mother’s house. So when his best friend, Luke Hardy, invites him to a remote Welsh cottage to join his family for Christmas, it seems like the break he needs. Christmas at a cottage by the sea sounds appealing, but sometimes having all the people you care about together in one place can be a festive recipe for disaster – especially when unexpected guests arrive. As snow falls, carols play and Pippa and Joe face the ghosts of Christmas past under the mistletoe, they realise that there might actually be more than festive magic sparkling between them. What readers are saying about Rachel Griffiths: ‘a gorgeous story that has a wonderful charm and a lovely uplifting vibe’ – Rae Reads ‘It has a gorgeous feel-good theme running through it and you can sense the story is written from the heart.’ – Adele ‘I just adored every part of it and I have already become attached to the characters. Perfection.’ – Jessica’s Book Biz ‘Such a lovely story with gorgeous characters to fall in love with too! I didn’t want it to end!’ – J.A. Dunham ‘In this book, winter has definitely arrived, Christmas is looming, a romance might just be blossoming and a face from the past is causing emotions to run high.’ – Stacey, Whispering Stories, Goodreads reviewer ‘The thing I love most about Rachel's style of writing, is that it's just such an easy read and her novels always leave you feeling happy and in a better mood. It's an easy escape into a different world and I love it.’ – Stacey, thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com ‘Fantastic smooth writing, a good storyline and a dollop of magic in the air makes this a terrific read.’ – Grace J. Reviewer Lady, Goodreads reviewer

      As Christmas draws near, Felicia returns to her family’s home on the island to marry her adventurous, rugged boyfriend, Archie. Every detail is picture-perfect for a dream wedding: the snow-dusted streets, twinkling lights in the windows, a gorgeous red and white satin dress. Except a lavish ceremony is not Felicia’s dream at all; it’s what her mother, Jilly, wants. Jilly’s also worried that her daughter’s life with daredevil Archie will be all hiking and skydiving. Wondering if their handsome neighbor Steven Hardy might be a more suitable son-in-law, Jilly embarks on a secret matchmaking campaign for Felicia and the dashing stockbroker.   As the big day approaches and Jilly’s older daughter, Lauren, appears with rambunctious kids in tow, tensions in the household are high. With the family careening toward a Yuletide wedding disaster, an unexpected twist in Nancy Thayer’s heartwarming tale reminds everyone about the true meaning of the season.

    Away in Medical School, Molly believed her life was on track. That was until she returned home for Christmas and learned her life was nothing she had always believed. As this surprising journey unfolds, Molly not only learns how to put aside the pain of her past but she finally learns how to say goodbye.

    

     Fans of Carole Matthews, Susan Wiggs and Scarlett Bailey – and anyone who loves the sound of Christmas songs and the sparkle of decorations on the tree – will adore this festive holiday treat! Everyone loves Christmas – don’t they? Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new career and fix her love life. As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going out on a high – the house is amazing , the kids are adorable, and she’s in charge of decorating the tree! The only problem could be her boss… single-dad, Adam Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s always working. Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on precious moments with his son and daughter? As Adam’s family arrive for Christmas including his sensitive sister, Sharon, and his fun-loving elderly Grandpa, Walter, Carrie realises that she might just have found the perfect allies in her quest to persuade Adam to loosen up. There’s still time for Carrie to make this the best Christmas ever… after all, Christmas is the time for miracles, isn’t it? Let the festivities begin!